Perry Caps Off Wild Night For Cowboys

Robert Allen

03/09/2014

With nine wrestlers competing in championship matches, the Oklahoma State Cowboys started Saturday's finals in a commanding position for another Big 12 title. The first match certainly got the Bedlam juices flowing as it came down to the third period between OSU's Eddie Klimara and the top seed in the tournament Jarrod Petterson of Oklahoma.

The match was tied at 3-3 and Klimara was on the bottom for the final two-minute period. An escape would give Klimara the win; however, riding out the final period would give Patterson the point for riding time advantage as he had just enough time to get it over one minute.

As the two coaching staffs exchanged finger pointing and yelling, presumably for stalling and Patterson not making a concerted effort to score, Patterson did score with the riding time point and won the title 4-3.

That set up round two of finals Bedlam between top seed Jon Morrison of the Cowboys and Cody Brewer of OU. In a match that was stopped repeatedly because of Morrison's cut over the eye and the leaking of blood. There was blood all over the front and back of Brewer's white OU singlet and that was because Morrison controlled the match with three takedowns and a dominant amount of riding time. Brewer never had a chance and Morrison just missed a major decision winning 8-1. For Jon Morrison it made him a two-time Big 12 champion.

How about a true freshman Big 12 champion? Last year, Oklahoma State had 157-pound Alex Dieringer pull that off and this year at 141 pounds it was Anthony Collica that did it.

The true freshman worked hard to get a takedown toward the end of the first period. Then after seeing his lead going to the third period thin to just one point, Collica prevented Iowa State's Gabe Moreno, who had upset top seed Colin Johnston of West Virginia, from getting a thing escape. Collica rode out Moreno the entire third period for a 4-2 decision.

At 149 pounds, it was back to more Bedlam. Oklahoma had defending NCAA individual champion Kendric Maple finally full speed after dealing with injury and weight issues early in the season. Maple used a first-period double leg move for a takedown to get started and while it was close Maple maintained control and in the end defeated season rival Josh Kindig 6-3. Both wrestlers will be at the NCAA Championships and could very well see each other again.

The Bedlam matches just kept coming as Oklahoma State was dominating and Oklahoma was second on huge ladder. That is the way it finished at 157 pounds as Alex Dieringer made it two for two in his Cowboy career with Big 12 Championships.

He used a takedown in every period and a riding time advantage to decision Oklahoma's Jerry DeAngelis 8-3. It was a workmanlike effort, but one that very well could earn Dieringer favorite status and top seed at the upcoming NCAA Championships.

Tyler Caldwell had a lot of fun in his championship match as he opened with a double leg takedown of Iowa State's Michael Moreno and then proceeded to unload a move that twisted Moreno to his shoulder and almost back for a three-point near fall. Caldwell followed that with a tilt for another three-point near fall. He had a whopping 8-0 lead after the first period. Caldwell picked up the title and bonus points with a 12-1 major decision.

The Big 12 moved the 174-pound showdown between top-ranked Andrew Howe and second-ranked and defending NCAA champion Chris Perry to the last match. That moved the 184-pound match up and surprise top seed Nolan Boyd of the Cowboys led all but the last 20 seconds, but his Cinderella story was replaced by another under dog story of Lelund Weatherspoon of Iowa State.

Boyd led 3-2 after Weatherspoon got an escape early in the third period. Boyd was showing activity but he should have been more careful to stay clear of the Cyclone because a late single scored a takedown and Weatherspoon won 4-3. The NCAA had only allotted one berth in the Championships at 184 pounds in the Big 12, but Boyd should be one of the recipients of a wildcard berth on Monday or Tuesday.

The win at 197 pounds by Iowa State's top-ranked Kyven Gadson was exciting, but Oklahoma State gained its fifth Big 12 champion of the night when 285-pounder Austin Marsden scored a 5-2 decision over A.J. Vizcarrondo of West Virginia. Marsden's key points came in a huge second period with an escape after starting on the bottom and then with a takedown at the buzzer of the same period. Marsden added a takedown in the final period to win his first Big 12 title.

And yes, they saved the best for last with top-ranked Andrew Howe of OU and defending NCAA champion and second-ranked Chris Perry of the Cowboys. Howe won a one-point decision early in the year and then ducked Perry in the Bedlam dual in Stillwater.

After a scoreless first period, Perry despite warnings and coach's arguments rode Howe out for the entire two minutes. The third period started with guns blazing as Perry escaped or appeared to and then Howe quickly took him down for what looked like a two-point takedown. the officials reviewed the call on video and reversed it.

Then Howe came out and after Perry escaped he proceeded to get a takedown and then did it again. Another Perry escape and another Howe takedown. The Field House was going nuts with an almost equal crowd of Cowboys and host Sooners. Everybody was pointing at somebody. The officials reviewed and took the second takedown off the board.

At this point almost everyone was confused at what the score was, how much time was left, and even what day it was. OU's own security had to keep OU head coach Mark Cody away from the officials and the video monitor.

The reset had a 2-2 score with 1:15 remaining in the match and Perry with 1:45 in riding time. The match ended with both wrestlers tangled with each other, but no scoring taking place. Perry won the decision 3-2 with the 1:45 riding time advantage built up from the second period. The OU fans booed after it was over while the Oklahoma State fans took pictures and celebrated as their team was honored.

Chris Perry was named the Outstanding Wrestler of the Tournament and the Cowboys won the team score.